Properties and applications of β‐glycosidase from Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron that specifically hydrolyses isoflavone glycosides

To modify the glycan part of glycosides, the gene encoding β‐glycosidase was cloned from Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron VPI‐5482. The cloned gene, bt_1780, was expressed in Escherichia coli MC1061 and the expressed enzyme was purified using Ni‐NTA affinity chromatography. The purified enzyme, BTBG, showed optimal activity at 50 °C and pH 5.5. Interestingly, this enzyme did not have any hydrolysing activity on ordinary β‐linkage–containing substrates such as xylobiose, lactose and cello‐oligosaccharide, but specifically hydrolysed isoflavone glycosides such as daidzin, genistin and glycitin. Compared to a commercial beta glucosidase, BTBG selectively hydrolysed isoflavone glycosides in soybean extract mixture solution. These results suggest that BTBG may be a specialized enzyme for the hydrolysis of glycosides and that the substrate specificity of BTBG is applicable for the bioconversion of isoflavone glycosides in the food industry.     

Modeling and analysis of passive worm propagation in the P2P file-sharing network

A number of worms, named P2P (peer-to-peer) passive worms, have recently surfaced, which propagate in P2P file-sharing networks and have posed heavy threats to these networks. In contrast to the majority of Internet worms, it is by exploiting users’ legitimate activities instead of vulnerabilities of networks in which P2P passive worms propagate. This feature evidently slows down their propagation, which results in them not attracting an adequate amount of attention in literature. Meanwhile, this feature visibly increases the difficulty of detecting them, which makes it very possible for them to become epidemic. In this paper, we propose an analytical model for P2P passive worm propagation by adopting epidemiological approaches so as to identify their behaviors and predict the tendency of their propagation accurately. Compared with a few existing models, dynamic characteristics of P2P networks are taken into account. Based on this proposed model, the sufficient condition for the global stability of the worm free equilibrium is derived by applying epidemiological theories. Large scale simulation experiments have validated both the proposed model and the condition.     

Simultaneous determination of mycotoxin in commercial coffee

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by filamentous fungi that usually contaminate food products. Coffee is a natural product susceptible to mycotoxin contamination. The present study evaluates the presence of nivalenol, deoxynivalenol, T-2 and HT-2 Toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol, aflatoxin B₁, aflatoxin B₂, aflatoxin G₁, aflatoxin G₂, fumonisin B₁, fumonisin B₂, ochratoxin A, zearalenone, enniatin A, enniatin A₁, enniatin B, enniatin B₁, and beauvericin in coffee samples, using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The results show that zearalenone was not present in any sample. In the positive samples the contents of fumonisins ranged from 58.62 to 537.45 μg/kg, emerging mycotoxins ranged from 0.10 to 3569.92 μg/kg, aflatoxins ranged from 0.25 to 13.12 μg/kg, and trichothecenes, excepting nivalenol, ranged from 5.70 to 325.68 μg/kg. Nivalenol presented the highest concentrations, from 0.40 to 25.86 mg/kg. Ochratoxin A ranged from 1.56 to 32.40 μg/kg, and five samples exceeded the maximum limit established by the European Commission.     

On‐the‐Spot Immobilization of Quantum Dots,Graphene Oxide,and Proteins via Hydrophobins

Class I hydrophobin Vmh2, a peculiar surface active and versatile fungal protein, is known to self‐assemble into chemically stable amphiphilic films, to be able to change wettability of surfaces, and to strongly adsorb other proteins. Herein, a fast, highly homogeneous and efficient glass functionalization by spontaneous self‐assembling of Vmh2 at liquid–solid interfaces is achieved (in 2 min). The Vmh2‐coated glass slides are proven to immobilize not only proteins but also nanomaterials such as graphene oxide (GO) and quantum dots (QDs). As models, bovine serum albumin labeled with Alexa 555 fluorophore, anti‐immunoglobulin G antibodies, and cadmium telluride QDs are patterned in a microarray fashion in order to demonstrate functionality, reproducibility, and versatility of the proposed substrate. Additionally, a GO layer is effectively and homogeneously self‐assembled onto the studied functionalized surface. This approach offers a quick and simple alternative to immobilize nanomaterials and proteins, which is appealing for new bioanalytical and nanobioenabled applications.     

Effects of Rare Earths on Toughness of 31Mn2SiRE Wear-Resistance Cast Steel

The toughness of 31Mn2SiRE wear-resistance cast steel were increased by means of RE compound modification and high temperature austenitizing. The results show that the microstructures can be refined, needle and network ferrite are eliminated, the dislocation density and the quantity of dislocated martensite are increased remarkably, and the shape and distribution of inclusions are improved by the addition of RE. Therefore, the mechanical properties of the modified steel can be greatly increased, especially the toughness (αK) by 44%, yield strength (σs) by 10%, and elongation (δ5) by 42%.     

声波测井换能器激发响应实验研究

声波测井换能器的激发响应由换能器振动时所表现出来的动态阻抗和激发电路参数决定。而换能器的动态（阻抗）参数随压电晶体及其装配方式（力学边界条件）改变。为了测量换能器动态参数的影响，采用声波测井仪器常用的压电晶体和升压变压器，通过改变激发脉冲宽度和直流电压进行了实验，结果发现：在换能器两端的瞬态响应中，一共有三个二阶网络响应，分别对应于不同的频率。最低的一个影响声波测井波形的基线、与换能器主频接近的一个决定激发效率以及电路与压电晶体之间的匹配关系，是激发电路设计中比较关键的，其参数可以通过导纳圆测量仪器得到。     

超稠油三元复合吞吐技术

辽河油田曙一区超稠油蒸汽吞吐井随吞吐轮次增高,地层亏空严重,周期递减迅速,采油成本增加.辽河油田特种油开发公司研究的超稠油三元复合吞吐技术,通过CO2、表面活性剂的注入,产生调剖、溶解、降粘等综合作用,有效改善了超稠油在地层的流动性,提高蒸汽吞吐效果.自2002年9月开始对该技术的施工工艺和施工参数进行不断改进与完善,初步形成适合于超稠油油藏地质特点的三元复合吞吐工艺技术.至2005年底,累计实施340井次,措施有效率86.1%,平均单并周期增油494 t,投入产出比为1:5.3,取得了明显的增油效果,经济效益显著,为超稠油油井高效稳产、增产提供了一条有效途径.     

北部湾盆地福山凹陷CO2气成因探讨

北部湾盆地福山凹陷油气钻探中发现了高含CO₂气的天然气气藏。对CO₂气稳定碳同位素、伴生稀有气体氦和氩同位素进行了分析研究，结果显示，福山凹陷CO₂气稳定碳同位素偏重，(13C_CO2为-5.01～-10.08‰，绝大多数样品大于-7.0‰，为无机成因CO₂气特征；伴生稀有气体氦同位素³He/⁴He值为(4.74~5.03)×10^-6，R/Ra值为3.38～3.59；伴生稀有气体氩同位素⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar值为1881～2190，也显示出幔源或壳幔混合CO₂气的特征。综合判定认为，福山凹陷CO₂为壳幔混合成因。始新统流沙港组岩浆岩体分布特征与CO₂气藏分布范围基本一致，也表明幔源-岩浆可能是福山凹陷CO₂气的主要来源。与南海北部边缘盆地其它地区如珠江口盆地西部、琼东南盆地东部CO₂气成因一致，都为幔源-岩浆来源，或壳幔混合来源。     

含硫化氢气井钻井过程中的腐蚀因素与防护研究

在含硫气井的钻井过程中对于HRC大于22的钻具钢材除了腐蚀疲劳之外，在pH值小于9的环境中会发生硫化物应力腐蚀破裂，这种破坏比腐蚀疲劳更突然、更快，使钻杆大量损坏。含硫气井在钻井过程中，由于湿硫化氢的出现，常常会出现油管、套管、钻井设备、钻井仪器以及对支持保护管柱的水泥环柱等腐蚀和损坏问题，为此，阐述了湿硫化氢的腐蚀特点、机理，归纳总结了影响腐蚀的因素，综述了如何在这些方面防止其腐蚀，使损失减小，为指导油管、套管防腐工程实践提供了依据。建议在钻井过程中采用碱性钻井液，其pH值可到9或更高(至pH值12)，以减缓或防止钻井过程中电化学从硫化物应力腐蚀破裂；含硫气井用的钻杆应该间歇使用。钻杆停用堆置时间可使其放氢，使钻杆恢复韧性，防止硫化物应力腐蚀断裂。     

Ring‐opening polymerization of lactones initiated by diphenylzinc–coinitiator systems

Diphenylzinc, alone or in combination with water and butanone as coinitiators, was used as a polymerization initiator system for a variety of lactones at varying temperatures. The resulting data indicate that the course of the polymerization is greatly influenced by the lactone structure, as well as by the molar ratio of coinitiator to diphenylzinc. When used alone, diphenylzinc exhibited high activity as an initiator in δ‐valerolactone polymerizations, although it was less efficient when used in the β‐butyrolactone and the β‐propiolactone polymerizations. Activity in the polymerization of β‐lactones was increased by adding small amounts of butanone or water. It was also observed that the diphenylzinc–butanone combination was more effective than the diphenylzinc–water mixture in the polymerizations of β‐butyrolactone and β‐propiolactone. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry